Activists have been widely criticizing the EU’s sustainable finance taxonomy as a “greenwashing” exercise that puts the European Union’s climate change targets at risk.
What is the EU Taxonomy?
The EU taxonomy is a complex system to classify which parts of the economy may be marketed as sustainable investments.
It includes economic activities, as well as detailed environmental criteria that each economic activity must meet to earn a green label.
Why in news now?
Rules for most sectors came into effect this year, covering investments including steel plants, electric cars and building renovations.
The rules for gas and nuclear energy, however, have been long delayed amid intense lobbying from governments who disagree on whether the fuels help fight climate change.
What does it say about gas and nuclear energy?
The European Parliament supported that proposal in a vote paving the way for it to become law and apply from 2023.
Under the proposal, for a gas-fuelled power plant to be deemed green, it must emit no more than 270 grams of CO2 equivalent per kilowatt hour, or have average emissions of 550g CO2e/kW over 20 years.
It must also commit to switch to low-carbon gases by 2035.
Gas and nuclear power plants are classed as transitional activities.
What’s the taxonomy for?
The taxonomy does not ban investments in activities not labelled “green”, but it limits which ones companies and investors can claim are climate-friendly.
The EU’s goal to eliminate its net emissions by 2050 will require huge investments, much of it private funding.
The rules also aim to stamp out green-washing, where organisations exaggerate their environmental credentials, among so-called eco-friendly investment products.
Who does it apply to?
Providers of financial products – including pension providers – in the EU must disclose which investments comply with the taxonomy’s climate criteria.
For each investment, fund or portfolio, they must disclose what share of underlying investments comply with the rules.
Large companies and listed firms must also disclose what share of their turnover and capital expenditure complies.
That means polluting companies can get recognition for making green investments.
For example, if an oil company invested in a wind farm, it could label that expenditure as green.
What makes a “green” investment?
The rules classify three types of green investments.
First, those that substantially contribute to green goals, for example, wind power farms.
Second, those that enable other green activities, for example, facilities that can store renewable electricity or hydrogen.
Third, transitional activities that cannot be made fully sustainable, but which have emissions below industry average and do not lock in polluting assets or crowd out greener alternatives.
The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) recently issued guidelines to prevent false or misleading advertisements.
Guidelines on Prevention of Misleading Advertisements and Endorsements for Misleading Advertisements, 2022: Key takeaways
(1) Conditions for non-misleading and valid advertisement
An advertisement shall be considered to be valid and not misleading:
If it contains truthful and honest representation;
Does not mislead consumers by exaggerating the accuracy,
Scientific validity or practical usefulness or capability or performance or service of the goods or product;
Does not present rights conferred on consumers by any law as a distinctive feature of advertiser’s offer.
(2) Bait Advertisement
A bait advertisement shall not seek to entice consumers to purchase goods, products or services without a reasonable prospect of selling such advertised goods, products or services at the price offered.
The advertiser shall ensure that there is an adequate supply of goods, products or services to meet foreseeable demand generated by such advertisement.
(3) Prohibition of surrogate advertising
No surrogate advertisement or indirect advertisement shall be made for goods or services whose advertising is otherwise prohibited or restricted by law.
No circumventing of such prohibition or restriction and portraying it to be an advertisement for other goods or services shall be allowed.
(4) Free claims advertisements
A free claims advertisement shall not describe any goods, product or service to be ‘free’, ‘without charge’ or use such other terms if the consumer has to pay anything other than the unavoidable costs.
Seller must make clear the extent of commitment that a consumer shall make to take advantage of a free offer.
(5) Children targeted advertisements
An advertisement that addresses or targets or uses children shall not condone, encourage, inspire or unreasonably emulate behaviour that could be dangerous for children or take advantage of children’s inexperience, credulity or sense of loyalty.
(6) Limitations on Celebrity Endorsers
The government has tightened norms for endorsers, including celebrities and sportspersons.
They are now required to make material connection disclosures and undertake due diligence while doing advertisements.
Endorsements must reflect the honest opinions, belief or experience of the endorsers.
The endorsers have to make material connection disclosures and failing to do so will attract penalty under the Consumer Protection Act (CPA).
Material disclosures mean any relationship that materially affects the weight or credibility of any endorsement which a reasonable consumer would not expect.
Violation of these guidelines will attract a penalty of ₹10 lakh for the first offence and ₹50 lakh for the subsequent offence, under the CPA.
(7) ASCI rules
The latest guidelines will also apply to government advertisements.
Moreover, the advertising guidelines for self-regulation issued by the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) will also be in place in a parallel manner.
Odisha has topped the list of 34 states and Union territories (UTs) in the first-ever NFSA State Ranking Index. Ladakh was ranked last on the index.
NFSA State Ranking Index
The GoI has come up with a first-ever state ranking index to capture the implementation of the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The states and UTs were ranked for 2022 on the basis of three parameters:
NFSA coverage, rightful targeting and implementation of all provisions under the Act
The delivery platform while considering the allocation of food grains, their movement and last-mile delivery to fair price shops
Nutrition initiatives of the department
Why need such index?
NFSA is a crucial policy instrument to ensure food security. It covers nearly 800 million people.
However, NFSA’s implementation through TPDS has not been uniform in the country.
While some states and Union territories lead, others are yet to pick up in terms of coverage, beneficiary satisfaction, digitisation and overall system efficiency.
The index has been developed to create an environment of competition, cooperation and learning among states while addressing matters of food security and hunger.
Back2Basics: National Food Security (NFS) Act
The NFS Act, 2013 aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two-thirds of India’s 1.2 billion people.
It converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programs of the GoI.
It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme and the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Further, the NFSA 2013 recognizes maternity entitlements.
The Midday Meal Scheme and the ICDS are universal in nature whereas the PDS will reach about two-thirds of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas).
Pregnant women, lactating mothers, and certain categories of children are eligible for daily free cereals.
Key provisions of NFSA
The NFSA provides a legal right to persons belonging to “eligible households” to receive foodgrains at a subsidised price.
It includes rice at Rs 3/kg, wheat at Rs 2/kg and coarse grain at Rs 1/kg — under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). These are called central issue prices (CIPs).
This year’s floods in Assam have been merciless. In many parts of the state, both rural and urban, shoals of water drove people from their homes and forced many of them to seek shelter for their livestock.
Understanding the reasons for massive flood in Assam this year
The Bay has a major influence on the monsoon in Northeast India.
Two coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomena, one from the distant Pacific, La Niña and another in the tropical Indian Ocean, a negative dipole condition, combined to create high rainfall in the Bay of Bengal.
To add to that, a warmer atmosphere because of climate change can hold more moisture leading to intense bouts of rain.
Apart from embankment failures, a number of unofficial and media reports suggest that the devastation in the floodplains is also a consequence of the way the dams and reservoirs are operated.
This indicates that environmental factors unique to each locality are responsible for the floods.
The flooding pattern is usually repeated year-to-year. However, at times, this pattern is disturbed — this year for example.
The incidence of such megafloods depends on several variables like unusually high rainfall and the failure of critical embankments.
Role of floods in the making of the floodplain environment and ecology
Rejuvenation of ecosystem: Floods cause disruption and damage but they also generate a bounty of fish and rejuvenate flood-plain ecosystems all along the Brahmaputra, including in the Kaziranga.
Landscape: This landscape has been shaped over millions of years with the help of an active monsoonal environment and mighty rivers that carry sediments weathered from the still-rising Himalaya.
Every year, the Brahmaputra and its tributaries — which are at the centre of Assam’s environment — transport billions of tonnes of sediment, mainly from the Eastern Himalaya, making the landscape volatile.
Flooding helps release waters to surrounding land and distribute sediments and nutrients across the floodplains and wetlands.
How human presence has influenced floodplains
As the human footprint intensified on the floodplains, the landscape was increasingly “developed and engineered”.
The engineered and planned landscape has affected the floodplains in two ways: It has undermined their ability to store and absorb water and reduced their capacity to transport sediment.
Urban floods: This year’s floods took an especially worrying proportion in several urban areas.
Guwahati has historically been a lowland and the city has been uniquely shaped by three hills that accumulate water during the monsoon.
Its northern side faces one of the most turbulent rivers in the world.
However, extensive swamps, channels and their tributaries worked in tandem to make the place habitable.
A transformation, however, took place in the 20th century, especially in the later decades, when these natural features were forced to disappear.
From an estimated 11,000 people in 1901, the city now is home to close to 1.1 million people.
Such a population increase is bound to have several footfalls and not all of them could have been prevented.
What has hit the city hardest is the disappearance of some of its critical environmental features.
Way forward
Human interventions such as dams to “tame” rivers and “stabilise” hydrologically dynamic landscapes and riverscapes should be based on guidelines that account for the environmental conditions in Northeast India, especially the fragile geology, changing rainfall patterns, high seismicity and the risk of landslides.
Resilience of people: The rapid transformation in rainfall characteristics and flooding patterns demand building people’s resilience.
Reconsider projects: Construction projects that impede the movement of water and sediment across the floodplain must be reconsidered.
Use of technology: At the same time, climate-imposed exigencies demand new paradigms of early-warning and response systems and securing livelihoods and economies.
Conclusion
Floods have played a key role in Assam’s ecology. But increasing human footprint has affected the ability of flood plains to absorb water and transport sediment.
Policymakers ought to recognise the country’s untapped potential and work towards dismantling the many hurdles.
What is the significance of aviation sector?
India is the world’s third-largest market in aviation sector.
Aviation is integral to equitable economic growth, for a country to be globally competitive and to change the situation of poverty and unemployment.
Passenger airlines and air cargo overcome geography and connect remote areas that are alienated from the mainstream.
They can drive investment deep into the country, giving people access to markets.
They also boost tourism, which is the largest employment generator in the unorganised sector.
What is the status of aviation sector in India?
Pre-economic reform period– India had only two airlines – Air India and Indian Airlines.
Post 1991 reforms– The reforms that opened up the aviation sector in 1991 and ended the licence raj and the monopoly of Indian Airlines and Air India changed the sector.
Numerous private sector airlines were given the licence to fly, but Jet Airways and Sahara, survived, resulting in cartelisation.
The concept of low cost airlines in India took shape in 2003 which overcame the cost barrier.
Sadly, Indian aviation has become ‘the sick man of India’.
What are the barriers in Indian aviation sector?
Per capita consumption of air tickets – The number of Indians who buy air tickets in 2019 is 140 million of which 35 million to 40 million frequent flyers form the bulk of ticket buyers.
It translates to less than 4% of the population who can afford air travel, placing India just alongside some poorer African countries, in terms of the per capita consumption of air tickets.
Factors affecting the growth of aviation sector– The growth of aviation has been affected by
Choking regulations
Tough entry barriers for new entrants
High fuel prices on account of sky high taxes
Inefficient public sector airports that pave the way for monopoly airports
Frequent and knee-jerk changes point to the absence of a long-term visionary strategic policy for the entire gamut of sectors in aviation.
How efficient are government schemes in the development of the airline sector?
Boosting entrepreneurship- Start-up India initiative was started with the objective of supporting entrepreneurs, building a robust startup ecosystem and transforming India into a country of job creators.
Regional connectivity– Ude Desh Ka Aam Naagrik (UDAN) scheme aims to connect small and medium cities with big cities through air service.
Low cost airlines– UDAN plans to connect the underserved airports to key airports through flights that will cost Rs 2,500 for per hour flight.
Comprehensive development– The National Civil Aviation Policy 2016 aims to take flying to the masses and covers 22 areas of the Civil Aviation sector.
What reforms are needed?
Reforms in all sectors– It is critical to understand that for passenger airlines to grow, there have to be reforms in all areas of aviation – air cargo, airports, aviation fuel taxes and Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO).
Updated laws– India’s Aircraft Act, 1934 and Aircraft Rules, 1937 need to be updated to keep pace with modern technology in aerospace, increasing costs to the industry and ultimately affecting passenger growth.
Overhaul DGCA – India’s statutory regulatory authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), needs to be modernised, well-staffed, motivated and incentivized.
Need for aviation professionals– There need to be aviation professionals in charge rather than the ubiquitous bureaucrat from the Indian Administrative Service.
Register for the webinar. Submit your query and get Telegram group + access to FREE resources. Mangesh sir will also share a special compilation of PDF with you post-webinar.
There are certain skills you need to master for UPSC. One of the most important ones is Linking Current Events/Affairs with Static or General Studies topics.
It is easier said than done. It takes a certain level of knowledge, experience, and practice. But, like any other skill, it could be learned and mastered under a teacher/mentor.
Why is it important? Let us take two examples:
Saint Ramanujacharya was in news in Feb 2022 when PM Modi unveiled a statue of the saint – The statue of Equality
For any serious aspirant, it was common sense that a question could be asked in the UPSC Prelims 2022 exam. But UPSC wouldn’t ask directly, it will link it to the GS.
This question was in fact asked in Prelims and a Mains question is also expected in 2022. Moreover, if you would have covered and connected the CA while doing your NCERTs this question was secured.
A direct question was asked in UPSC CSE Prelims 2022. Below is the question.
(Ques.) The world’s second tallest statue in the sitting pose of Ramanuja was inaugurated by the Prime Minister of India at Hyderabad recently. Which one of the following statements correctly represents the teachings of Ramanuja?
(a) The best means of salvation was devotion.
(b) Vedas are eternal, self-existent, and wholly authoritative.
(c) Logical arguments were meant for the highest bliss.
(d) Salvation was to be obtained through meditation.
Taking another example: Ukraine war has been in news. If one were to make notes and have to connect it with Static geography or International relations for Mains they can do it in the manner as below.
Webinar on 8th July, 7 pm – Friday
Mangesh Azade sir will be taking a LIVE webinar on coming Friday. This is a must for those who want to learn and master this skill. We will be taking up case studies and solving both prelims and mains questions.
Register for the webinar. Submit your query and get Telegram group + access to FREE resources. Mangesh sir will also share a special compilation of PDF with you post-webinar.
Mangesh sir is a senior IAS mentor at CivilsDaily and he has been mentoring UPSC aspirants and now rankers for more than 4 years now. Mangesh sir has an experience of 3 UPSC interviews and has cleared the Intelligence Bureau exam and UPSC CAPF (ACs) exam, which he didn’t join. He is a passionate mentor and has students’ interests in mind always. He has successfully mentored almost 50 rankers to date.
Top Newspaper is saying about Civilsdaily Mentorship
The Hindu has acknowledged the success rate of CD’s Smash mains Mentorship
Our ‘Hall Of fame’ have to say about our UPSC programs
GS-1 Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, literature and Architecture from ancient to modern times.
GS-2 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.
GS-3 Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.; Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
GS-4 Probity in Governance: Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds, challenges of corruption.
HOW TO ATTEMPT ANSWERS IN DAILY ANSWER WRITING ENHANCEMENT(AWE)?
Daily 4 questions from General studies 1, 2, 3, and 4 will be provided to you.
A Mentor’s Comment will be available for all answers. This can be used as a guidance tool but we encourage you to write original answers.
You can write your answer on an A4 sheet and scan/click pictures of the same.
Upload the scanned answer in the comment section of the same question.
Along with the scanned answer, please share your Razor payment ID, so that paid members are given priority.
If you upload the answer on the same day like the answer of 11th February is uploaded on 11th February then your answer will be checked within 72 hours. Also, reviews will be in the order of submission- First come first serve basis
If you are writing answers late, for example, 11th February is uploaded on 13th February , then these answers will be evaluated as per the mentor’s schedule.
We encourage you to write answers on the same day. However, if you are uploading an answer late then tag the mentor like @Staff so that the mentor is notified about your answer.
*In case your answer is not reviewed, reply to your answer saying *NOT CHECKED*.
Integrated Approach: UPSC/MPSC-relevant tests | study material |Experienced mentors and dedicated Marathi faculty.
A houseful seminar conducted by CivilsDaily. The foundation stone for a balanced success in UPSC, along with MPSC has been successfully placed in Pune. Yes, Civilsdaily reached Pune.
CivilsDaily recently conducted a Mega Seminar in Pune and it was a full house. The energy and excitement among the aspirants from Maharashtra was exhilarating. As a result of our great success in UPSC 2021, and on the insistence of CivilsDaily’s alumni (ex-rankers) and our students from the state, we have decided to open our first offline center in Maharashtra, in Pune.
Sajal sir felicitaitng CD toppers from Maharashtra
Yes, this is the all-dimensional extension of CD. Whether it is Delhi or Pune, it’s a distinction without a difference. Acknowledging the need to ensure removing the trauma of relocation, the students of Maharashtra face, we will be providing the best preparation and resources to you that too at your place.
With the focus on overall development, Civilsdaily’s dedicated offline mentor teachers group stands by all UPSC & MPSC aspirants without a second thought.
MPSC changes pattern: Aligned with UPSC, to be implemented from 2023
Maharashtra PSC has recently released a notification citing changes in the pattern. Now the main examination will be subjective/descriptive in nature (essay type answers) instead of objective (MCQ type) questions. Also, an Ethics paper has also been introduced, modern history will also be included.
From earlier 6 papers in MPSC Mains now we will have 9 papers, with total marks now standing at 1750 in Mains, closely resembling UPSC’s pattern.
Papers
Subjects
Marks
Nature of papers
Paper 1
Marathi
300
Descriptive (Qualifying)
Paper 2
English
300
Descriptive (Qualifying)
Paper 3
Essay (Marathi or English)
250
Descriptive
Paper 4
GS 1
250
Descriptive
Paper 5
GS 2
250
Descriptive
Paper 6
GS 3
250
Descriptive
Paper 6
GS 4
250
Descriptive
Paper 8
Optional Paper 1
250
Descriptive
Paper 9
Optional Paper 2
250
Descriptive
1750 Marks
Closely resembling the UPSC pattern
Implications of this change
It has certainly made MPSC mains more comprehensive, requiring a wide-based knowledge just like UPSC.
It will be easier for UPSC aspirants to prepare for MPSC and vice-versa.
It improve the percentage of Marathi candidates appearing and clearing UPSC as the paper pattern is almost the same.
It will give equal opportunity to those from rural as well as urban areas. Now every candidate must play on a level playing field.
For those UPSC aspirants who have exhausted their attempts, they would find it easier to appear and crack MPSC.
Aspirants who will reappear in 2023 will have to consider it as a fresh attempt as they have to study almost from scratch.
All these pose an opportunity as well as a challenge for aspirants but for sure it calls for a change in strategy.
CivilsDaily’s performance in UPSC 2021 and an overwhelming number of our Rankers from Maharashtra
UPSC 2021 results were released a few days back and it was a major validation of CivilsDaily’s student-centric approach, personalized mentorship, and commitment to your goal – cracking the UPSC IAS exam.
..amazing observation was the overwhelming number of rankers from Maharashtra.
This was evident from 200+ rankers, including 30+ in the top 50 in the UPSC 2021 exam. Another amazing observation was the overwhelming number of rankers from Maharashtra.
Moreover, we have thousands of CivilsDaily students from the state.
On the insistence of CivilsDaily’s alumni (ex-rankers) and our students from the state, we will be opening our first center in Maharashtra very soon, in Pune.
How is the Pune center going to help UPSC and Civil Services Aspirants from Maharashtra?
Saves you from the trauma of relocation
Aspirants have to leave their home state to Delhi, Karol Bagh for UPSC prep. It seriously dismantles their mental peace and continuity in preparation.
Now you no longer have to leave your state and come to Delhi for UPSC preparation.
Financially
Financially, by saving huge expenditure incurred in Karol Bagh on renting and tuition fees.
Now prepare for both: UPSC and MPSC
Recently the notification for MPSC was released and since the pattern is similar to UPSC now, we will be helping you prepare for MPSC as well.
Live lectures, Offline 1:1 Mentorship, Testing centre in Pune
We will be providing the best classroom lectures; UPSC-relevant tests and study material; experienced mentors and dedicated faculty.
CivilsDaily will always remain committed to a personalized and student-centric approach and will live for its vision of making UPSC and government service exam preparation simpler, effective, result-oriented, and affordable to every aspiring student.
Mega Seminar on 5th July, at Gokhale Institute, Pune: Sajal sir and UPSC Rankers from Maharashtra – was a huge success
We have another seminar planned.
Get a golden chance to meet and discuss 1-1 with Rankers and Sajal sir at Pune center.
Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, the alma mater of Sajal sir and a few other UPSC rankers from CivilsDaily, has acknowledged the good work and has requested us to be hosted by the esteemed institute.
You can meet Sajal sir and rankers there and discuss the strategy and approach required to tackle both MPSC and UPSC.
Venue:
to be shared soon
Date and time: to be shared soon
Feel free to call/WhatsApp for any clarification or details: +91 8668582260.
We are all the more motivated now to churn out more and more rankers from Maharashtra.
UPSC has released DAF I for those who have cleared the Prelims exam and will be writing Mains 2022. Last date to fill your DAF I is 15th July 2022, till 6 pm. You can start filling it out today.
You will need to register yourself on the UPSC website if you have not done already for filling the DAF I.
Smash Mains 2022: Strictly for Rankers and high potential aspirants
Trusted by Rankers, Acknowledged by The Hindu | (Advanced program for Veterans and High Potential candidates) Register now!
We had launched Smash Mains Program for UPSC 2022 earlier this month and now 5 seats are remaining.
If you have appeared for UPSC interview(s) previously and are super close to clearing this exam but Mains is your Achilles heel. Then this is for you.
Smash Mains Program is a highly personalized and intensive handholding program for the crème-de-la-crème (veterans) amongst UPSC aspirants (the intake is 50 students & Last 5 seats are remaining).
Unique Features of the program:
Invite/Register-only
Those who are scoring less marks in GS in mains consistently, need to send your mark sheet and test copy here.
Based on that Sajal sir will select the students.
One-to-one detailed and in-depth interaction with Sajal sir.
